


Still Talkin'

by woodsong_1978 (Vae)



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen, Rape Aftermath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-09
Updated: 2006-04-09
Packaged: 2017-12-07 15:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/750203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vae/pseuds/woodsong_1978
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Serenity's not alone any more</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still Talkin'

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://community.livejournal.com/ff_fanfic/364217.html). Thanks to [](http://the-girl-20.livejournal.com/profile)[**the_girl_20**](http://the-girl-20.livejournal.com/) for suggesting the subject. Beta thanks to [](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/profile)[**lvs2read**](http://lvs2read.livejournal.com/) and [](http://noneofyours.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://noneofyours.livejournal.com/)**noneofyours** who helped me with Kaylee and Inara respectively.

She hadn't been back to the engine room since. Hadn't needed to. Serenity was running smooth as you please. Didn't need no tweaking, or urging. She just ran, sweet as a nut, and Kaylee was glad of it. Not that she didn't love her girl no more, but there were phantoms waiting behind the purring turbines now.

So, when Wash had asked her to give him a little something extra for the take-off from Persephone, she'd hesitated, for the first time ever. Wash hadn't noticed, but Cap'n had. He'd shouted at her. He was doing that a lot lately. She didn't like him shouting at her, so she'd gone, but when she got to the doorway, she couldn't go in.

"Kaylee?"

"I can't, 'Nara. Can't go in there."

"You can, Kaylee. I'm here. We're all here. You can do this."

She shook her head. "Can't. She ain't alone no more."

"Kaylee. She's still Serenity. Still yours. She needs you." Inara stepped through the doorway and held out a hand.

Kaylee reached out to her. Trembling like a leaf. Knew she ain't got nothing to be scared of, not really. Serenity would never hurt her. She was always there. Slowly, she put one foot in front of the other, hardly lookin' up from the floor, just one foot in front of the other until she was standin' next to the engine.

Inara smiled. "That's it, Kaylee."

Kaylee tightened her mouth. Wouldn't do to be crying. Saltwater don't mix well with engines. Gets 'em all rusty. Time to do her job.

After, once Wash's voice had crackled through the comm and all was set back to stable, she just sank to the floor. Couldn't stand no more, her legs wouldn't support her. Just went. Warm arms wrapped around her shoulders and hugged her close.

"Kaylee, oh, Kaylee, what happened?"

"Came out of nowhere. Right by the door. Saying the most awful things, all reasonable like. Tied me up, 'Nara." Tears wouldn't stop no more. Flowing down her face, dripping onto clothes, damp against her knees.

"Did he hurt you, Kaylee?"

She shook her head. "Tied me up. Said things, awful things, and I was so alone, 'Nara! Wasn't anyone near. Wasn't no one 'til River spoke." She hugged her knees. Knees. Nice and safe, always there, just rocking with her, back and forth, back and forth...

Inara pulled her up from the floor. "He's gone, Kaylee. He's not here. It's just you and Serenity again." Inara never let go. Never. Kaylee sometimes wondered if she knew how. "Come to my shuttle."

Nodding, she let herself be led from the room. Away from the smooth hum of the engines and the phantom in the corner still talking.

"There's nobody can help you."

Still talkin'.


End file.
